A Deo et Rege

St. Athanasius from The Incarnation of the Word (Chapter 27, sections 2-4)

For of old, before the divine sojourn of the Saviour took
place, even to the saints death was terrible, and all wept for the dead as
though they perished. But now that the Saviour has raised His body, death is
no longer terrible; for all who believe in Christ tread him under as nought,
and choose rather to die than to deny their faith in Christ. For they verily
know that when they die they are not destroyed, but actually [begin to] live,
and become incorruptible through the Resurrection. And that devil that once
maliciously exulted in death, now that its pains were loosed, remained the
only one truly dead. And a proof of this is, that before men believe Christ,
they see in death an object of terror, and play the coward before him. But
when they are gone over to Christ’s faith and teaching, their contempt for
death is so great that they even eagerly rush upon it, and become witnesses
for the Resurrection the Saviour has accomplished against it. For while still
tender in years they make haste to die, and not men only, but women also,
exercise themselves by bodily discipline against it. So weak has he become,
that even women who were formerly deceived by him, now mock at him as dead and
paralyzed. For as when a tyrant has been defeated by a real king, and bound
hand and foot, then all that pass by laugh him to scorn, buffeting and
reviling him, no longer fearing his fury and barbarity, because of the king
who has conquered him; so also, death having been conquered and exposed by the
Saviour on the Cross, and bound hand and foot, all they who are in Christ, as
they pass by, trample on him, and witnessing to Christ scoff at death, jesting
at him, and saying what has been written against him of old: "O death,
where is thy victory? O grave, where is thy sting."

Read the whole thing at NewAdvent

St. Augustine of Hippo (AD 354-430) from The City of God (preface).

I have undertaken its [i.e. the glorious city of God] defence against those who prefer their own gods to the Founder of this city — a city surpassingly glorious, whether we view it as it still lives by faith in this fleeting course of time, and sojourns as a stranger in the midst of the ungodly, or as it shall dwell in the fixed stability of its eternal seat, which it now with patience waits for, expecting until "righteousness shall return unto judgment," and it obtain, by virtue of its excellence, final victory and perfect peace.

Read the whole thing at NewAdvent.

I’m practicing for the GRE, so please forgive me. To put it in normal terms: Pope Says Anglican Gays Are an Obstacle to Unity.

Speaking on ecumenical relations, the Holy Father, in a bit of an understatement, said:

"Unfortunately, we are faced with new problems, especially those of an ethical nature, where new divisions which impede a common witness have sprouted"

Of course, it’s not just Anglicans that are openly challenging Biblical and Traditional teaching on sexuality, but they have become the most visible symbol of it, probably because they have bishops and the media likes personalities as opposed to committees.  From a Catholic perspective, if a church can’t grasp Judeo-Christianity 101, it’s pointless to talk about enrolling in Catholic Unity 630.

The Holy Father also added that the committment for unity should infect ordinary Christians and not just be a matter for experts.  That is a worthwhile goal! I would especially like to see this happen among Catholics and Orthodox on the ground level, exploring the closest relationships that are canonically possible in both traditions.

St. Justin Martyr from the First Apology (Chapters 65-67). Note how his descriptions of early worship correspond to Catholic and Orthodox (and even some Protestant) worship today.  Reading St. Justin, especially this passage, started me on the path to Catholicism.

CHAPTER LXV — ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENTS.

But we, after we have thus washed him who has been convinced and has assented to our teaching, bring him to the place where those who are called brethren are assembled, in order that we may offer hearty prayers in common for ourselves and for the baptized [illuminated] person, and for all others in every place, that we may be counted worthy, now that we have learned the truth, by our works also to be found good citizens and keepers of the commandments, so that we may be saved with an everlasting salvation. Having ended the prayers, we salute one another with a kiss. There is then brought to the president of the brethren bread and a cup of wine mixed with water; and he taking them, gives praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and offers thanks at considerable length for our being counted worthy to receive these things at His hands. And when he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all the people present express their assent by saying Amen. This word Amen answers in the Hebrew language to genoito [so be it]. And when the president has given thanks, and all the people have expressed their assent, those who are called by us deacons give to each of those present to partake of the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and to those who are absent they carry away a portion.

CHAPTER LXVI — OF THE EUCHARIST.

And this food is called among us Eukaristia [the Eucharist], of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh. For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, "This do ye in remembrance of Me, this is My body;" and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, "This is My blood;" and gave it to them alone. Which the wicked devils have imitated in the mysteries of Mithras, commanding the same thing to be done. For, that bread and a cup of water are placed with certain incantations in the mystic rites of one who is being initiated, you either know or can learn.

CHAPTER LXVII — WEEKLY WORSHIP OF THE CHRISTIANS.

And we afterwards continually remind each other of these things. And the wealthy among us help the needy; and we always keep together; and for all things wherewith we are supplied, we bless the Maker of all through His Son Jesus Christ, and through the Holy Ghost. And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons. And they who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours the orphans and widows and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need. But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead. For He was crucified on the day before that of Saturn (Saturday); and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the Sun, having appeared to His apostles and disciples, He taught them these things, which we have submitted to you also for your consideration.

Read the whole thing at NewAdvent

Icon is of St. Justin Martyr from St. Hilaron Monastery

Tertullian from The Prescription Against Heretics (Chapter 37)

Since this is the case, in order that the truth may be adjudged to belong to us, "as many as walk according to the rule," which the church has handed down from the apostles, the apostles from Christ, and Christ from God, the reason of our position is clear, when it determines that heretics ought not to be allowed to challenge an appeal to the Scriptures, since we, without the Scriptures, prove that they have nothing to do with the Scriptures. For as they are heretics, they cannot be true Christians, because it is not from Christ that they get that which they pursue of their own mere choice, and from the pursuit incur and admit the name of heretics. Thus, not being Christians, they have acquired no right to the Christian Scriptures; and it may be very fairly said to them, "Who are you? When and whence did you come? As you are none of mine, what have you to do with that which is mine? Indeed, Marcion, by what right do you hew my wood? By whose permission, Valentinus, are you diverting the streams of my fountain? By what power, Apelles, are you removing my landmarks? This is my property. Why are you, the rest, sowing and feeding here at your own pleasure? This (I say) is my property. I have long possessed it; I possessed it before you. I hold sure title-deeds from the original owners themselves, to whom the estate belonged. I am the heir of the apostles. Just as they carefully prepared their will and testament, and committed it to a trust, and adjured (the trustees to be faithful to their charge), even so do I hold it. As for you, they have, it is certain, always held you as disinherited, and rejected you as strangers–as enemies. But on what ground are heretics strangers and enemies to the apostles, if it be not from the difference of their teaching, which each individual of his own mere will has either advanced or received in opposition to the apostles?"

Read the whole thing at NewAdvent.

Newman observed that to be "deep in history is to cease to be Protestant" and that would certainly be my personal experience.  Reading the Fathers challenged my evangelical Protestant assumptions and led me to start to engage Church history.  Before that, I had held a similar position to that of Sally, Charlie Brown’s sister, who, upon being told to write an essay on "church history," penned: "our pastor was born in 1930."  I had no idea of anything or anyone outside of my local church, not even my denomination.

This discovery of the riches of the past led me to Anglicanism and ultimately to the Catholic Church where I am today.  I am consistently amazed at how few Christians know anything about the history of their Faith.  If this were civics and if the lacking knowledge were about our nation’s history, most would be rightly appalled.  Yet, for many Christians, ignorance of Church history, is not only accepted, but encouraged as a way to be a better Christian.  After all, why bother consulting our spiritual forebears when all that matters is the individual and God at the present?

The writings of the Church tugged at my conscience and challenged what I had always accepted to be the norm.  Why all this information?  I’m going to start posting excerpts from the Church Fathers and other Christian writers through the ages on this blog, in the hopes that the challenges, joys, and riches I found in them will be of benefit to others.

I have recently started to explore the Latin prayers of the Catholic Church.  I’m not schismatic, nor am I agitating for the removal of the vernacular liturgies.  I am completely loyal to the Magisterium and the Catholic Church!  Given the variety of different schismatic groups, I feel the need to give this disclaimer. 

So, why have I started doing some praying in Latin?  I am a student of history and languages and learning the Latin prayers has helped me better enter into our Church’s heritage and better learn what is still the official language of the Church.  I ordered an English-Latin Day Hours of the Monastic Breviary from The Abbey Shop (St. Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough, UK). It will have the dual purpose of deepening my prayer life through Benedictine spirituality and to help me polish up on my Latin as I prepare to return to graduate school. It seems to be only available in the UK at present, but the website I linked to does ship overseas (like in my case).

For good Latin prayers, you can check out (NB: these are loyal Catholic sites):

Thesaurus Precum Latinarum (Treasury of Latin Prayers)

Latin Litanies, Prayers, and Songs

Check out: Netherlands Braces for Jihad (Washington Times)

Although I disagree with Bush on some pretty major issues, I wish to congratulate him on his victory. I will continue to keep him in my prayers and I pray that in all his decisions he will look to God, especially with regard to protecting the lives of the unborn.

I have been voting since I’ve been 18 and today I once again did my civic and Catholic duty. As many of you know, I could not endorse any presidential candidate this year because of both candidate’s support for Iraq, Bush’s ties to ultrahuge business and embrace of dangerous neoconservative foreign policy, and Kerry’s views on life. I am in Ohio, so I felt that a vote for a third party (which I would honestly prefer) would be essentially a vote for Kerry and the culture of death he would promote. So, holding my nose, I ended up voting for Bush. I pray for the day when we can get real choice in politics.

Image from KidsDomain

Here is a fine article called Abortion: The Swing Issue from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  I highly recommend reading it.  The best part is a great quote at the end:

The pro-life constituency that would be most crushed by a Kerry victory is Catholics. No other group has so doggedly led the fight to halt abortion, and a potential Catholic president stands poised to undermine that progress. What Pope John Paul II has described as the "culture of life" could be hindered by no less than a practicing Catholic in the Oval Office.

Links for All Saints:

When I was an Anglican, I wrote, You Are Not Alone, which still expresses my joy at the Communion of the Saints.

My essay that attempts to summarize the communion of the saints in plain language.

Maria has posted for us a great Litany of the Saints.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam has shared Scripture and commentary from the Navarre Bible.

Sancta Sanctis tells about various Saints.

Charles ponders the whole Reformation Day/Halloween connection.

Image Christ Glorified in the Court of Heaven (Fra Angelico) from CGFA: A Virtual Museum